This year marks the 35th anniversary of ice cider! Did you know that this iconic product is from Quebec and that its creator is right here?
It was in Frelighsburg that Christian Barthomeuf had the audacity to choose apples over grapes, an idea that wasn't unanimously accepted at the time, but one that fascinated him. It was this conviction that inspired him to create a product with a unique, inimitable taste.
To celebrate this major event, we had the privilege of meeting him on his land, among spectacular vegetation!
Christian, tell us a little about how your arrival here in Quebec went?
When I arrived here in Frelighsburg, I was the village fool! People didn't want to know anything about what I was doing, they didn't even believe in ice cider at first. A French winemaker arriving in a fairly wealthy environment, a real scandal! I had the idea of taking a sabbatical year with Louise (his partner) and in the end, I never left. That's where it all started.
How did you get started in the wine industry?
I am self-taught! I never studied anything. One day, I met an agronomist and asked him the question: what could I do with a vine? I had always seen maple syrup everywhere, so I wondered if I could do something, but with a vine. That's when he started talking to me about thermal units... I was a little confused at first, but I bought some thermometers and went for it. In the meantime, I still bought a plane ticket to Montpellier, France, and I came back with books on planting vineyards. I read and I executed. I taught myself, I am curious by nature.
And here we are 35 years later!
Can you tell us the story of how the first ice cider was created? Where did your idea come from?
At the very beginning, when I was working at another vineyard, I was picking frozen grapes to make ice wine. My fingers were freezing and I wondered why I was bothering. I looked at the neighbor who had apple trees and I thought I could do the same thing with apples! At the time, it was very cold in the winter. So I went to my neighbor and bought 4 bins of frozen apples (400 pounds) and pressed them with a hand press… I only made 1 gallon! But my God, it was good! It allowed me to taste it. I left the vineyard where I was and started my own production. Because I believed in my product and I wanted to develop it according to my values.
What are the particularities of your cultivation method at Clos Saragnat?
This is the fundamental culture, everything is in the wild. I don't prune my apple trees and I let nature take its course. Instead of having apples after 2 years, it can take 5. Vegetation is very important. Sometimes apple trees rest, there are no apples in them for a year. We let them do it, they are tired so it is they who decide. Nature does things well, we plant trees (apple trees, pear trees, plum trees, etc.) at random and well we let them sort it out! You let everything go, you let what it wants grow. Our land is a refuge for birds and insects and if it weren't there, Clos Saragnat wouldn't exist. Have you seen insects in the vines? No! Their predators are in the jumble of plants. Everyone knows the fundamental culture in the end: you look at nature and you let it do its thing!
Does climate change have an impact on the production process?
The winters are obviously less cold, so ice cider will probably last less long. It needs frost to make it. Yes, people will probably put the apples in the freezer, but hey, that's not what we do. Even if people go north, like to Lac-Saint-Jean, time will catch up with them! I'm glad I invented ice cider 35 years ago and not today. It seems like climate change, for a good 4-5 years. Before, we did it anytime in the winter... Now, in December, there isn't even any frost yet. Now we pile our apples under the trees covered with a canvas and wait for it to freeze. A good -10 degrees for 3-4 days... It's ideal, but now it's a little more difficult. It doesn't affect the taste, because we're careful, we let them freeze, but the process isn't the same as before.
Is there an ice cider you are particularly proud of?
To be honest, I'm proud of all my products. Every ice cider we make is a true delight! No freezers, no chemicals, just authentic ice ciders with an incomparable taste.
Do tourists visit you to meet the creator of the very first ice cider?
I'm not often at the shop; Louise runs it, but few people really know our story. People in the industry certainly know it, but in fact, 98% of the general public doesn't know. Wine and cider "lovers" are often surprised to discover that there are apples in our ice ciders! Strange, isn't it?
Speaking of apples in cider, which ones are ideal for making ice cider?
If you use McIntosh apples to make ice cider, it will be pee yellow! The best apples aren't necessarily the most visually appealing, but they are incredibly tasty. Here, when you taste an apple, it's delicious, but if you put it on a supermarket shelf, people won't even notice. For me, cider is just apple. If you add anything else, it's not really cider anymore... A pear, maybe, but not exotic fruits. The difference between my ice ciders and others is a radical difference. There are Christian's, mine, and others'. That's where the biggest difference lies!
What are the main markets for ice cider? Is it mainly consumed locally in Quebec or is it exported to other regions?
We don't talk about it much here in Quebec, our own region! Our products are available in only 40 of the 400 SAQ branches. It's better to import wine from Italy, isn't it? Ice cider doesn't exist anywhere else but here; it's a typically Quebec product... But we don't make too much of a fuss about it! I don't think there are any elsewhere, maybe in Jamaica ha ha?
Looking back 35 years, what makes you most proud?
I'm especially proud of having believed in myself and my idea, despite the skeptics who didn't believe in me. Also, I'm looking forward to my retirement... I have a lot of sleep to catch up on! 35 years is a long time!
A well-deserved retirement! Thank you so much, Christian, for hosting us to celebrate this special occasion. Let's go taste some cider now!
You can meet him directly at Clos Saragnat , a true natural sanctuary. Book their “Walk through an Organic Vineyard and Cider House” Experience or our “Brome-Missisquoi Wine Route” Signature Tour to discover their story and taste Christian and Louise’s delicious products!
Happy 35th Birthday Ice Cider! Cheers!
